Day 5 - Andong Soju Museum
Day 5 - June 2007
Andong Soju Museum
Andong soju became popular amoung the upper class from the Silla Dynasty Period. The use of soju spread as it came to be used for medicinal purposes as a cure for stomachaches, poisonous insect bits and other ills. The raw material used in making Soju are simply good quality rice and wheat, harvested from fertile soil, and pure clean water.
Liquor can be distilled from rice, barley, millet, kaoliang (African millet), beans or other raw materials, but it is believed that the best tasting liquor is distilled from rice.
The interesting thing is that the manufacturing process for Andong soju has been handed down from mother in law to daughter in law for generations amoung local Andong gentry families. Andong soju mater distiller Cho Ok-Hwa is the current holder of this secret traditional process.
We were joined by Bae Kyung Hwa (daughter in law of Cho Ok-Hwa) and Kim Yeun Bak (Manager of Andong Soju museum) who showed us in traditional dress and backdrop, the process of making one of Korea’s finest exports.
Andong Soju manufacturing process
Location:
280 Beonji, Susang-dong, Andong, Kyungsangbukdo, Gyeongbuk
Contact:
http://www.andongsoju.com
Tel +82 54 858 6800 (English, Chinese, Japanese)
+82-54-858-4541(Korean)
Fax +82 54 858 0760
Email yeunbkim@hanmail.net
Links:
Tour 2 Korea - Andong Soju Museum
Andong Soju Museum
Andong soju became popular amoung the upper class from the Silla Dynasty Period. The use of soju spread as it came to be used for medicinal purposes as a cure for stomachaches, poisonous insect bits and other ills. The raw material used in making Soju are simply good quality rice and wheat, harvested from fertile soil, and pure clean water.
Liquor can be distilled from rice, barley, millet, kaoliang (African millet), beans or other raw materials, but it is believed that the best tasting liquor is distilled from rice.
The interesting thing is that the manufacturing process for Andong soju has been handed down from mother in law to daughter in law for generations amoung local Andong gentry families. Andong soju mater distiller Cho Ok-Hwa is the current holder of this secret traditional process.
We were joined by Bae Kyung Hwa (daughter in law of Cho Ok-Hwa) and Kim Yeun Bak (Manager of Andong Soju museum) who showed us in traditional dress and backdrop, the process of making one of Korea’s finest exports.
Andong Soju manufacturing process
- How to make malted wheat
- Pulverize whole wheat, wash it clean, and put it in a malted wheat mold
- Tread evenly
- Remove malted wheat from the mold
- Form malted wheat into the proper shape
- Ferment malted wheat for about 20 days
- Pour malted wheat and let it dry, exposing it to the dew for a night
- How to cook hard steamed rice
- Paste kneading dough between the kettle and rice steamer to prevent leaks
- Steam rice over a fire
- Spread the hard steaming rice and let it cool in the shade
- Brewing
- Prepare the steamed rice and malted wheat
- Mix malted wheat flour and hard steamed rice
- Add water and mix evenly
- Put the mixed ingredients into a pot and allow it to ferment for the proper length of time
- Taste the unrefined liquor
- Distilling
- Pour fermented unrefined liquor into a kettle. Place soju retort and cooler on the kettle
- Paste kneading dough between the kettle and the retort to prevent leaks
- Build a fire under the kettle
- Allow distilled soju to run down the clasp tube from the soju retort
- Taste the newly distille soju with the tip of the tounge
- Finished soju will have a 45% alcohol content
Location:
280 Beonji, Susang-dong, Andong, Kyungsangbukdo, Gyeongbuk
Contact:
http://www.andongsoju.com
Tel +82 54 858 6800 (English, Chinese, Japanese)
+82-54-858-4541(Korean)
Fax +82 54 858 0760
Email yeunbkim@hanmail.net
Links:
Tour 2 Korea - Andong Soju Museum
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